Commentator, Saint Liam meet again in Woodward

COMMENTATOR (Distorted Humor) held off the fast-closing SAINT LIAM (Saint

Ballado) to win the Whitney H. (G1) by a neck in their first match-up, and the

top class handicap runners will meet again in Saturday's $500,000 Woodward S.

(G1) at Belmont Park. However, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. is determined to change

the circumstances that saw Commentator loose on an uncontested lead in the

Whitney by entering not one, but two "rabbits" to soften up the front runner

for Saint Liam.

Commentator earned his first graded score in the Whitney and recorded an

impressive 16 1/2-length victory two starts back at Belmont over optional

claiming/allowance rivals. The Nick Zito trainee brings a seven-for-eight career

mark into the 1 1/8-mile Woodward and will race coupled with the late-running

SIR SHACKLETON (Miswaki).

Saint Liam opened 2005 with an impressive win in the Donn H. (G1) and

captured the Stephen Foster H. (G1) two starts back at Churchill Downs. He

figures to savor the return to the Elmont, New York, oval because the best race

of his career may have come in last year's Woodward when he battled Horse of the

Year Ghostzapper to the wire, grudgingly giving up a narrow advantage in the

final jumps to finish second by a neck. Saint Liam, who will race uncoupled with

his two stablemates, picks up new rider Jerry Bailey on Saturday.

Speedballs CRAFTY PLAYER (Crafty Prospector) and SHOW BOOT (Storm Boot) both

exit sprint races and will race coupled for Dutrow.

The Woodward field, from the rail with riders, is Sir Shackelton, Rafael

Bejarano; SHANIKO (A.P. Indy), John Velazquez; Saint Liam; Commentator, Gary

Stevens; Show Boot, Raul Rojas; and Crafty Player, Rudy Rodriguez.

All starters will carry 126 pounds.